


If the World Was Ending

by Marianna_Morgan



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Earthquakes, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 09:07:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23968837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marianna_Morgan/pseuds/Marianna_Morgan
Summary: If his life is about to end, there’s only one person he wants.
Relationships: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki
Comments: 11
Kudos: 87





	If the World Was Ending

**Author's Note:**

> Story based on the song/music video for "If the World Was Ending" by JP Saxe featuring Julia Michaels

He doesn’t even notice the ground is shaking. Not at first. But when everyone around him starts freaking out in their cars and on the sidewalk, he realizes they’re experiencing an earthquake. Again. Living in this part of the country, such occurrences are not unexpected…but this feels different. More intense in strength and duration.

Once Jensen is home, he sits on the couch with a glass of whiskey in one hand and his phone in the other. On the TV across the room, a distinct tone blares in the background as an automated voice recites its script.

“This is a national emergency.”

 _No shit_ , Jensen thinks as he watches the words flash across the black screen; their bold red font and scrolling delivery adding to the urgency of the unfolding situation.

“You and your loved ones should seek the nearest fallout shelter immediately.”

Jensen snorts at the advice. The nearest fallout shelter is nowhere near here, but that doesn’t bother him. What stings is the part about his loved ones. His parents had passed away years ago, and his relationship with his siblings had become strained in their absence. Without their mom and dad to ground them, they had drifted. There was the occasional contact on birthdays and holidays, but otherwise, there was silence on the line. No calls, no texts.

Jensen figures if his life is in immediate danger, he should reach out to his brother and sister. Try to patch things up. Tell them he loves them despite all the shit that has gone down between them over the years. Making amends, especially now, is the right thing to do…but his heart isn’t in it. If his life is about to end, there’s only one person he wants. _Needs_.

Jensen’s smile is soft and wistful as he stares down at his phone. He reads the last text between them for the millionth time, but the pain of their breakup is still as fresh and raw as it had been in those first few days.

_You know I love you. I want the best for you. Just want u to be happy. Whatever that looks like._

It had been the hardest message Jensen had ever sent, but he had meant it. Every word. He had wanted Jared’s happiness to look like _him_ , and for a while, it had. They had been happy before Jensen had fucked up everything.

 _I know_ , Jared had responded, acknowledging Jensen’s feelings without reciprocating. _But I need some space. It’s just too hard to see you right now._

The words were difficult to swallow, but it was the broken heart emoji that stabbed Jensen in the chest every. Single. Time.

“Fuck,” he sighs and takes a sip of whiskey, wondering where Jared is during all of this. Is he somewhere safe? Is he scared? Is he thinking about him, too, or had a year been long enough to erase Jensen from his thoughts?

It’s a possibility Jensen refuses to dwell on.

He takes another sip of whiskey and glances again at his phone. For 365 days, he had resisted the urge to text. Nothing pushy. Just checking in. _I miss you_ and _I love you_ buried beneath _Hey. How are you?_

He had lost count how many times he had almost pressed send, only to delete the message and close the app and toss his phone.

Jensen huffs a laugh as his thumb skims over the spider web of cracks covering his screen from the repeated abuse and wonders if _now_ is the time to send that message. Jared had said he needed space, and Jensen had respected that – even when it gutted him – but did that request still apply during a national crisis?

The emergency tone continues to blare across the room while across town, it does the same.

Jared sits on the couch with a glass of whiskey, staring at the TV and wondering if Jensen even knows what’s happening. It would be just like him to not even feel the earth shaking.

“Dumbass,” Jared says, trying to ignore the tightness in his throat and the way the words blur on the screen as he stares at his phone.

_Ok. But I’m here if you need me._

That had been Jensen’s last text to him. The words were a year old, but Jared hopes they’re still true. He hopes Jensen still thinks about him. Maybe is even thinking about him now. Maybe still loves him and misses him and feels all the other things Jared still feels. 

Maybe.

Jared sighs and stands, too anxious to sit. He wanders to the kitchen, smiling through tears as he remembers that night they had stumbled inside. They had barely shut the door before clothes had started flying. He stares at the wall and can still see himself shoved against it, can still feel Jensen’s hands on his skin, still feel the heat of his mouth. They had intended to make it to the bedroom…but they hadn’t.

“Harvey and Harry got more than they bargained for,” Jensen had liked to joke, referring to those ridiculous gnome salt and pepper shakers their sweet elderly neighbor had gifted them when they had first moved in.

Jared chokes a laugh as he reaches for them now and wonders if he’ll ever be able to forget Jensen Ackles.

“I hope not,” he admits to the pair of gnomes in his grasp.

They smile at him; the lucky bastards always seeming happy. Probably because they always have each other, are always standing side-by-side. Wherever one goes, the other follows.

Jared swallows against renewed tears, remembering how that felt and wanting it back. He leaves Harvey and Harry in the kitchen and returns to the living room, picking up his phone and typing what’s in his heart. If a national crisis isn’t the time to be truthful, when is?

_~~I know~~ _

_~~You know~~ _

_~~We know you weren’t down for forever, and it’s fine.~~ _

No. Jared doesn’t want this to sound like an accusation. Jensen’s actions may have led to their breakup, but they’re both at fault. They both fucked up.

_~~I know~~ _

_~~You know~~ _

_~~We know we weren’t meant for each other, and it’s fine.~~ _

That’s a lie. All of it.

Jared bites his lip and tries once more. 

_~~If the world was ending, you’d come over…right? You’d come over and you’d stay the night.~~ _

Jared paces in front of the TV. He can’t say that, either, but he wants to. He wants to confess what’s been aching inside of him for the past year. He wants Jensen to come over. He wants to sleep in Jensen’s arms. He wants Jensen to hold him and tell him everything is going to be okay because nothing has seemed okay for so long.

_But I’m here if you need me._

“I need you,” Jared whispers as he re-reads Jensen’s last text and decides maybe he’ll just send the first part of his message. That would be the easiest part to play off. He could pretend that part was a joke; the kind of twisted humor people use during times like this.

He nods and types it again.

_If the world was ending, you’d come over…right?_

Jensen blinks as the message appears. He reads it, then reads it again to make sure it’s really there. The relief he feels the first time – Jared texted him! – is replaced with concern the second time because he can hear the uncertainty. He can sense the fear and pain, and it occurs to him that maybe Jared has been just as miserable without him.

“We are so fucking stupid,” he grumbles, annoyed that it has taken a year and a national emergency to force a conversation that should have happened months ago.

_If the world was ending, you’d come over…right?_

Jensen smiles as Jared stares at the screen, waiting. 

Five minutes. Ten. Half an hour.

“Okay,” Jared murmurs and slides his phone across the coffee table. No response _is_ a response. He has his answer, and it hurts even more than the silence he’s endured for the past year. Maybe Jensen has forgotten about him. Maybe Jensen has moved on and is holding someone else right now.

Jared shifts his stare to the TV and allows himself to cry. He wasn’t scared before, but he is now.

An hour passes before someone knocks at the door.

Jared startles at the sound and wonders if the police are making their rounds. If they’re going door-to-door, checking on people and advising of shelter locations. He stands but doesn’t bother wiping his face as he crosses the room. Whoever is knocking will understand. If impending death and destruction isn’t a reason to cry, what is?

Jared gives a shaky sigh and opens the door, greeted not by a man in uniform but by a man holding his phone so the last text message is visible.

_If the world was ending, you’d come over…right?_

“Right,” Jensen tells him, delivering the true answer in person.

Jared’s smile wobbles as fresh tears flow.

Jensen’s smile is steadier. He’s confident he can fix what they messed up. He steps inside without invitation and reaches for Jared. “C’mere, sweetheart.”

Jared doesn't hesitate. He closes the space between them; their foreheads touching as Jensen brushes the tears from his cheeks. Their kiss is gentle but genuine and ends with Jensen standing there, holding him as the ground begins to shake.

“It’s okay,” he whispers and Jared believes him. 


End file.
